From 7 to 13

We seem to be missing a few rooms, two to be exact, 7 and 13... the stories vary about why they are gone, include everything from stolen space to the necessity of a supply room, but I am beginning to understand that the stories may really be an excuse.  People do not want to be thought of as superstitious- In part because it makes them look crazy and in part because to admit that the building has a mind of it's own well... it takes away our sense of control.  

I personally like the corner between rooms twelve and fourteen, a small bathroom and supply room are tucked in here-- areas where I like to sit for a moment and think... a place to simply get away from the noise and chaos of the beast that is an ED.  Some of my best thinking is done in here, though it may not always translate into real words.  

Now between rooms six and eight-- only a hallway exists, room seven seems to have vanished.  It may have been for lucks' sake, or maybe it really is there... a place for the patients to quietly exit on their journey- home.

We also have our words that are off-limits... a certain q and s word come to mind.  These are taboo- chocolate must be offered by the offender to the gods that be if these words are thought, let alone uttered.  

I never was superstitious, before I started here.  Now, yes, I do find myself offering to the gods on occasion-- all because of one lovely shift.  New guy, cracking jokes, flaunted the forbidden words- within 15 minutes we were packed, Full Code in 2, HI in 1, all other rooms packed with the expansion rooms also utilized, EMS called out to not one but four locations all with multiple victims.  Once all chaos was contained, he did it again-- he said the words-- cacophany of noise-- we thought it was bad before-- no the gates of hell may have had less wailing and gnashing of teeth.  The new guy... well, someone may find his body, eventually, too bad he wasn't finished paying off his schooling yet.

Dreams...

Ever had one of those dreams that you wake, feeling utterly confused--and look around for the body?  

I woke early this morning in a cold sweat, searching frantically for the body of the physician I was working with-- In my dream he had gone down in trauma 2, not unexpected, a year post a massive heart surgery, still has chest pain often enough to make the staff nervous, but the department was just a little to busy to be doing this.  

My arms ached, having done enough rounds of compressions for two doses of epi.  I think in my dream I had hoisted him off the floor and onto the stretcher myself.  Why is it that when you really need a department full of help all you can find is a first semester student nurse with the deer-in-the-headlights look or the "I want to be a med student when I leave high school" volunteer.  You hand one of them the radio and walk them through how to call for assistance while working this code.  The nursing student who had asked to "do as many IV's as possible today" is now pale and backing away from the tray...

 

The new staff directive still echoing from my training days-- No we don't use the code blue button in this department.  Generally only one MD in house, maybe 2 nurses and the first rule that I was taught-- "never use the code button in this department, we are the code team".  Great.  Yes, I did push it-- no, it doesn't work.  Remind me to let maintenance know about that.

Answers to the questions that are coming.... No, from where I sat in my own bed, even with the lights, on I didn't find the body of the MD, only the pillow I had thrown off my bed (the one that had been at the top of the stretcher).  And yes, my wall does have an indent, not the desired 1/2 chest depth, but still, I worked the heck out of that 'chest' with my rounds of compressions.-- Bet my spouse is glad that I was the only one in the bed at the time....